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Landrieu commemorates those lost in Katrina

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu speaks at the Mid-City wreath laying ceremonycommemorating those lost in Hurricane Katrina ten years ago.

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Updated: 9:27 AM CDT Aug 29, 2015

Landrieu commemorates those lost in Katrina

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu speaks at the Mid-City wreath laying ceremonycommemorating those lost in Hurricane Katrina ten years ago.

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Updated: 9:27 AM CDT Aug 29, 2015

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WEBVTT FOR LIFE THATHAS BEEN LAID ANDRESPECTED AS THEY HAVE DIED.THANK YOU.[APPLAUSE]THANK YOU, SENDER.PRESIDENT ORTREASURER, YOU AREALWAYS UP TO THE TASK.SPEAKING OF BEING UP TO THETASK, HE IS OUR LEADER, THECHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE CITY OFNEW ORLEANS.THE PERSON WHO RIGHTED THE SHIPOF RECOVERY AND WHO REMAINSSTEADFAST AT THE HELM OF THESHIP OF STATE, LADIES ANDGELATIN AND -- LADIES ANDGENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THEMAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS, MITCH.[APPLAUSE]MAYORMITCH: THAT WASSPECTACULAR.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOURPERFORMANCE.FOR THOSE OF YOU DON'T KNOW,MARIE IS A LAWYER.THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.GOOD MORNING, TO ALL OF YOU.WE HAVE ALOT OF FOLKS VISITINGUS THIS WEEK.I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO TRYTO DO THE BEST I CAN TO MAKESURE THE PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANSNO, THE WORLD HAS NOT FORGOTTENUSAND CONTINUES TO HOLD US UPAS A MODEL FOR THE COUNTRY ANDARE HERE WITH US TO REMEMBER USTHIS WEEK.WE WANT TO, MOURAD THE LIVESLOST WHICH WE ARE DOING TODAY.WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEWORLD THAT CAME TO OUR AID INOUR DARKEST HOUR.WE ARE JOINED BY GOVERNOR BOBBYJINDAL.SHAUN DONOVAN, THE DIRECTOR OFTHE UNITED STATES OFFICE OFMANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, THIS IS AGUY WHO FUNCTIONALLY RUNS THECOUNTRY.[LAUGHTER]FEEWAS ONE OF OUR GREATESTADVOCATES.IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU.TAKE YOU SO MUCH.[APPLAUSE]SENATOR BILL CASSIDY IS WITH US.IT IS NICE TO SEE.MARY LANDRIEU IS WITH US.THANK YOU FOR COMING.DEMOCRATIC LEADER OF THEUNITEDSTATES HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVES, NANCY PELOSI,WAS ONE OF OUR GREATESTCHAMPIONS DURING THE STORM ANDLET THE CONGRESS.THANK YOU SO MUCH.COMMERCE BEEN MAXINEWATERS FROMCALIFORNIA WAS ON THE GROUNDINNUMERABLE TIMES.[APPLAUSE]SHEILA JACKSON LEE WAS HELPINGALL THE WAY AREA THANK YOU SOMUCH FOR BEING HERE.ALAYNA SCARRY, THECOUNSELORGENERAL OF ITALY WHO WAS INHOUSTON THIS YEAR.GLENN CURTIS, THE MAYOR -- MAJORGENERAL OF THE LOUISIANANATIONAL GUARD, THANK YOU SOMUCH FOR BEING HERE.DAVID CALLAHAN, THE COMMANDER OFTHE EIGHTH DISTRICT COAST GUARDON THE GROUND, IN THE WATER.[APPLAUSE]COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH USTODAY,THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN ANINCREDIBLE PARTNER WITH ME.OUR CORONER,JEFFREY BROUSE, ISWITH US TODAY.WE ALSO JOINED BY THE CORONERWHO WAS ACTIVE AT THE TIME, NICETO SEE YOU.THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.[APPLAUSE]TO THE PRESIDENT OFTHE CRESCENTCITY FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND THEEMBALMERS ASSOCIATION.THANK YOU.FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOTHERE, LOUISIANA AS A PLACE OFFAMILY.WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM AND THEYARE ALL BIG.THE RHODES FAMILY IS THEBIGGEST.THEY HAVE BEEN NEAR A LONG TIME.THEY HAVE HELPED US LIVE ANDMOVE ON IN THIS PASSING ONCEREMONY.IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THEWORK YOU HAVE DONE.[APPLAUSE]MR. DON DOYLE, PRESIDENT OFTHENEW ORLEANS EMBALMERS ANDASSOCIATES, THANKYOU TOYOU AND ALL THE OTHER PASTORSWHO ARE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB.AS A FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, YOUHAVE AN INCREDIBLE AND BRINGINGUS TOGETHER IN JOY AND IN SORROW, IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH ANDREALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE, AS APEOPLE, FIND THAT DEPTH THAT WENEED TO STAND UP AND RISE AGAIN.IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU.THANK YOU SO MUCH.[APPLAUSE]JOHN YOUNG, PARISH PRESIDENTFROM JEFFERSON PARISH IS WITH USTODAY.INC. YOU.-- THANK YOU.[APPLAUSE]WE RECOGNIZE THAT ALTHOUGH WEARE IN NEW ORLEANS, THE STORMDECIMATED THE ENTIRE GULF COAST.A MILLION HOMES WERE DESTROYED.WE LOST 1800 BROTHERS ANDSISTERS, MOTHERS AND FATHERS,AUNTS AND UNCLES.WE LOST A PIECE OF OUR FUTUREAND OF COURSE, FOREVER LOST THEPAST THAT THEY CARRY WITH THEMTHROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES.WE TALK A LOTABOUT BEINGTHANKFUL FOR HOW FAR WE HAVECOME.THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CLEARLYIS ON A PATH TO A BETTER PLACE.WE HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE ARENOT GOING FORWARD IF WE CANNOTGO FORWARD TOGETHER.WE WILL NOT LEAVE ANYBODYBEHIND.THIS PARTICULAR SPACE THAT WEARE IN IS SACRED GROUND FOR ALOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.WHEN I WAS THE LIEUTENANTGOVERNOR WHEN THIS STORM HIT,, THE ACTING GOVERNOR GAVEME THE DUTY EARLY ON TO PUTTOGETHER THE TEAMS AND MAKE SUREWE COULD GET THE FOLKS IN PLACETHAT WERE NECESSARY TO FIND THEPEOPLE WHO WERE LOST AND TO MAKESURE WE RECONNECTED THEM WITHTHE FAMILIES.DR. MINYARD ON THE STATELEVEL, AND DR. RUSH, YOU WERETHERE AS WELL.THEY HAD THE UNENVIABLE TASK OFTRYING TO FIND THE DECEASED WHOHAD BEEN ALIENATED FROM THEIRFAMILIES.WE HAD A LARGE SPACE IN SAINTGABRIEL.FROM TIME TO TIME, PEOPLE WOULDCOME PICK UP THEIR LOVED ONES.IT WENT ON, AND ON, AND ON, ANDTHEN IT STOPPED.NOBODY CAME TO CLAIM THESEBODIES.THE FOLKS THAT HELPED PUT THISMEMORIAL TOGETHER REALLY CALLEDUS INTO MORAL PURPOSE AND SAIDYOU KNOW WE WERE NOT GOING TOLEAVE ANYBODY BEHIND.WE WERE NOT GOING TO FORGETANYBODY.WE REALLY HAVE TO SET UP ASACRED SPACE FOR THE PEOPLE TOALWAYS ARE MEMBER WE WILL NEVERLEAVE ANYBODY BEHIND.-- TOREMEMBER.ALTHOUGH THE CITIZENS THATREMAIN ON THIS SACRED GROUND ORUNNAMED, THEY ARE NOT UNCLAIMED.BECAUSE WE CLAIM THEM.[APPLAUSE]WE HAVE TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES TOEACH OTHER.THE REASON WE WERE ABLE TOSURVIVE IS BECAUSE IN OURDARKEST HOUR, AS THE PSALMSAYS,JOYCOMETH IN THE MORNING,THE FLOOD CAME IN, AND A FLATWAS EACH OTHER.YOU KNEW FROM THE MOMENT YOUWERE ON THE GROUND, AND THEREARE A LOT OF FIRST RESPONDERS INTHIS ROOM, WHO SAW THEINCREDIBLE LOVE AND SUPPORT FROMHUMAN BEINGS, BREAKING DOWN INTHEIR MIND EVERY BARRIER THATEXISTED BEFORE.THEY STOP SEEING COLOR, RACE,CREED, GEOGRAPHY.THE HUMANITY THAT POURED OUT OFTHE SOULS OF AMERICANS TOWARDSOTHER AMERICANS WAS ONE OF THEMOST UPLIFTING THINGS I HAVEEVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.WE HAVE SAVED EACH OTHER.THAT IS SOMETHING THIS COUNTRYNEEDS TO KEEP IN THE FOREFRONTOF THEIR MINDS AS WE MOVED BACKINTO OUR DAY-TO-DAY HO-HUM,THE DAY TODAY.WHEN THESE PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER,WE NOT ONLY SAVE OURSELVES, BUTWE SAVED A GREAT AMERICAN CITYAND A GREAT COUNTRY.WE COME HERE TODAY TO RECOMMITOURSELVES TO THE NOTION THAT NOAMERICAN WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCESWHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORGOTTENAND THEY CAN BE UNNAMED.THEY CAN BE UNCLAIMED.THIS SPACE IS TESTAMENT TO THATEFFECT.LET'S BE CLEAR.TODAY IS ABOUT COMMEMORATIONSPECIFICALLY.WE WILL REMEMBER.AS SOON AS WE FINISH THIS, WEWILL GET BACK TO WORK.THERE WILL BE 10,000 VOLUNTEERSON THE STREETS OF NEW ORLEANSTODAY, NEIGHBOR HELPINGNEIGHBOR, AMERICAN CITIZENHELPING AMERICAN CITIZEN.AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS ASTORY OF RESURRECTION ANDREDEMPTION.IT IS A STORY ABOUT TRAGEDY TOTRIUMPH.IT IS A STORY ABOUT OVERCOMINGNO MATTER WHAT IT IS, TOMMY, ASYOU SAID, NOTHING WILL BE PEOPLEOF THE CITY BACK.NOTHING WILL HOLD AMERICA BACK.NEW ORLEANS WILL BE UNBOUND ANDUNBROKEN.WE ARE STILL STANDING AFTER 10YEARS.WE HAVE RISEN AGAIN, AND WE WILLRISE AGAIN, AND WE WILL GOFORWARD.WE CAN ONLY DO IT IF WE HOLDEACH OTHER UP AND DON'T LEAVEANYBODY BEHIND.GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND GOD

Landrieu commemorates those lost in Katrina

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu speaks at the Mid-City wreath laying ceremonycommemorating those lost in Hurricane Katrina ten years ago.